The full-service grocer, famous for its "Serious Food at Silly Prices," is set to launch its third Tucson, Ariz., location Wednesday, Jan. 21. The new Tucson store is the first Sunflower grand opening of 2009 and the 21st in the brand.

With the launch of the new Tucson location, Sunflower Farmers Market will have three markets in operation in Tucson. One of Sunflower Farmers Market's main goals is to erect new stores that are environmentally friendly and promote programs with green initiatives. Newly designed stores, such as this new location, are constructed with energy-efficient light fixtures and use recycled and refurbished equipment, cases and fixtures, whenever possible.

As TGR reported in the Nov. 25 edition of Dispatch, Sunflower wants to lure customers as concerned about price as about organic and natural foods.

Started by Wild Oats co-founder Mike Gilliland in 2002, the first Sunflower Market opened in Albuquerque, N.M., though the store is based in Boulder, Colo. Gilliland left Wild Oats in 2001.

With Sunflower Market, Gilliland is targeting the 60 percent of customers he calls "part-time natural foods folks," those who are somewhat interested in natural foods, but not necessarily willing to pay more for them.

In 2007, Sunflower received a $30 million investment from PCG Capital Partners and began rapidly expanding into Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas. Gilliland said Sunflower has no plans to expand beyond those states and instead will focus on expanding in existing markets as it has done with its new Tucson, Ariz., store.